Microplastics have entered drinking water, agricultural soil and human placenta. Discuss the science, the Indian regulatory gap, and the role of the UN Global Plastics Treaty.

Introduction: WHO and UNEP define microplastics as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm; UNEA-5.2 (March 2022) mandated an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to draft a legally binding instrument, with the Busan INC-5 (November 2024) ending inconclusively; India generates ~4.13 million tonnes of plastic waste annually per CPCB.

Body: First, the science — microplastics enter through primary (cosmetics, pellets) and secondary (degradation of macro-plastics) pathways; Marfella et al (NEJM 2024) found microplastics in carotid plaques, linking exposure to cardiovascular risk and endocrine disruption. Second, the Indian gap — no microplastic-specific Rule; BIS standard for monitoring is pending; FSSAI guidance is limited; an IIT-Kanpur 2021 survey revealed microplastics in the Ganga. Third, the global response — Plastic Waste Management Rules 2022 ban single-use plastics; the Global Plastics Treaty remains under negotiation post-Busan.

Way forward: Notify a BIS microplastic monitoring standard, ban primary microbeads in cosmetics, ratify the Global Plastics Treaty, and mandate filters in washing machines by 2028 under MoEFCC.